Suggestion donation of $10
Parking in Jonathan Lucas Parking Garage – vouchers will be given at lecture for free parking.
Alexis Martin is a Forester with the Center for Heirs’ Property. She recently graduated with her Masters in Community Forestry & Arboriculture from the University of Georgia. She is most interested in soil remediation and food production in under-resourced areas. Through the center, Alexis has joined a team embarking on an agroforestry project on St. Helena Island where she hopes to offer ideas and facilitate events that build community capacity through demonstration and education.
Marvin Ross, Owner and Farmer, is a fifth-generation farmer who owns and operates Peculiar Pig Farm with his wife, Nikki, and their family. He opened the farm in 2009 on the same land his grandfather once farmed and cultivated. Peculiar Pig Farm is a staple in the Low Country. Taking the knowledge he learned from his grandfather, Marvin has been able to continue his family’s legacy through the farm. He is making his dream of a healthier way of sustainable eating become a reality for his community and the flavor of his happy hogs can back that up.
Jada Ross, Lead Farmer at Peculiar Pig Farm
Merideth Garrigan, Affiliate Recruitment and Field Support with Enlightened Soil. Merideth’s first encounter with EnSoil Algae and the way it nourished the soil and the plant life is a milestone day in her life. The knowledge we need to design and develop a sustainable and regenerative culture has been provided by our ancestors and from all living systems in place on Earth. All we need to do is to listen.
Driven by a deep desire to help heal people, communities, and to heal Mother Earth, Merideth find’s her fulfillment in helping people realize their dreams and supporting these dreamers at grassroots levels. She believes our strength is in our ability to collaborate to promote balance, biodiversity and resilience. We can do so much better.
LauraKate McAllister, Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Community Supported Grocery.
As a South Carolina native, LauraKate grew up exploring all parts of the state from weekends spent on the coast to fishing afternoons at the lake to camping trips in the mountains. While earning her degree in Public Health at the College of Charleston, her love for nature intersected with a newfound interest in agriculture. After a few years working in the local agricultural community and a service year with AmeriCorps, she found herself headed back to her hometown of Columbia working with small produce farms at the SC Department of Agriculture. Here she really dove deep into the world of farming. LauraKate spent her time visiting growers and producers across the state to gain a better understanding as to what they needed to be successful. From there, she spearheaded grants and projects that would directly benefit South Carolina small produce farmers. LauraKate always knew she would end up calling the Lowcountry home again so a few years later she made her way back to Charleston. Luckily, she crossed paths with Lowcountry Street Grocery shortly after and joined the Sales and Marketing team. When not working, you can find LauraKate with her husband, Andrew, and daughter, Palmer, spending the day at the beach, enjoying a local park, or exploring Charleston by waterway.
